Toaster handle



Oct. 13, 1 1,557,028

I o. A. COLBY TOASTER HANDLE Filed May 9, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES: INVENTOR Ora A. Co/bg W BY 0. A. COLBY 'I'OASTER HANDLE Filed May 9. 19215 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNEQSES: iNVENTOR X ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

ORA A. COLBY, OF IRWIN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

TOAS'IER HANDLE.

Application filed May 9,

To aZZ whom it may concern:

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Irwin, in the county of lVestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Toaster Handles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric cooking devices and it has particular relation to portable electric table toasters The object of my invention isto provide a relatively simple and inexpensive mech anism that shall permit of carrying the toaster and of operating the material-turning trays thereof whenever desired.

In practicing my invention, I provide a plurality of levers each having a pivotal mounting on the toaster frame and having a knob secured to one end thereof and a link pivotally secured" to the other end thereof. The other end of the link is secured to a tray that is pivotally mounted in the side frames of the toaster. A movement of the knob in a slot in the toaster frameby the operators hand actuates the tray to either its open or to its closed position.

In a modified form, a fixed pivot pin is provided in the side frame and a slotted lever has a floating mounting thereon. A link connects one end of the lever to the,

tray and a movement of the knob in a slot in the frame actuates the tray.

A friction device is provided in the knob to permit of holding the tray-moving mechanism in any predetermined position relatively to the frame.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view, in end elevation,rof an electric toaster, comprising the device embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a view of a portion thereof in side elevation,

Fig. 3 is a view, in end elevation, of an electric toaster comprising a modified form of the device embodying my invention,

Fig. 4: is a view of a portion thereof, in side elevation, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View, in side elevation, of a knob, link and friction mechanism, comprising a part of thedevice em ,bodying-my invention.

.1923. Serial No. 637,756.

An electric toaster 11 comprises a base 12 consisting of a-sheet metal plate stamped out to have a top and a plurality of integral depending flanges 13. The endportions of the flanges are angularly disposed relatively to the flanges and-are located in adjacent positions relatively to each other, a suitable foot or supporting member 14 being located immediately adjacent to. the inner surfaces of the end portions and secured thereagainst by any suitable means.

A plurality of vertically extending side frames 15, of sheet metal, are mounted on the top portion of the base 12. and are secured thereon by any suitable means, such as rivets or bolts 16.

A heating element for the toaster comprises a plurality of sheets 17 of a suitable electric insulating material, such as mica, and any suitable or desired means for bolding the two sheets 17 in proper operative position relativelyto eachother and on the base betweenthe spaced side frames .15 may be employed. A resistor member (not shown) is wound onthe sheets '17, the ends of the resistor member being suit-ably connec'tedto terminal pins 18 mounted in one of the side frames 15, suitable insulating washers being, employed as is usual in the art. The details of construction of the heating element and of the terminal members is not further illustrated here, as it forms no partof my invention,

This application is a companion one to my co-pending application, Serial No. 630,271,1iled April 6 1928,and assigned to the Westinghouse Electric &Manufacturing Company, to which application further'reference may be had for detailsof construction ofthe assembled device.

A plurality of material-supporting trays 19 are respectively pivotally mounted inthe side frames .15 in integral lateral extensions 21 thereof. Side portions of each of the trays 19 are provided with suitable bearing pins 22 to pivotally support the trays as hereinbefore described.

Means for carrying the toaster and for actuating the respectivetrays 19 comprise a lever 23 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 24: intermediate its length inside of oneof the side frames 15. A slot 25 of arcuate form, isprovided in the side frame and a knob 26 is secured to the upper end of the lever 23, a pin or machine screw 27 being employed to suitably secure the knob 26 on the end of the lever 23. The other end of the lever 23 is connected to a link 28, the other end of which is pivotally connected to an integral depending extension of the tray 19. A lever 23, link 28 and actuating knob 26 is provided for each of the trays and the two sets of links and levers are located in s aced relation'relatively to each other on eit ier side of a vertical center line of one of the side frames 15, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the'd raw- 111 IVhen the two knobs 26 are located relatively close together, the trays are in their 7 normal. operative position and extend substantially vertically upward, in which position a slice of bread is being subjected to the toasting effect of the energized resistor. Then it is desired to cause the slice of bread to be reversed, it is only necessary to move the knob 26 in an outwardly direction or away from the center line of the side frame whereby the lower part of the lever 23 is moved inwardly, effecting a turning movement of the tray 19 connected thereto, in an outwardly and downwardly direction. The construction of the other parts of the clevice is of the so-called turn-over type, as more particularly described and claimed in Patent No. 1,105,230, to S. A. VViltsie.

As a knob and an actuating mechanism is provided for each ofthe trays, they may be actuated either singly or together, and the two knobs 26 when located relatively closely together, as illustrated in the drawing, will permit ofeasily carrying the toaster when not in actual use. If desired, the other end of the toaster may be supported or carried by the operator by the usual connector socket containing the terminals of the supply circult conductors operatlvely engaging the terminal pins 18, as 1s well known in the art.

A modified form of device embodying my invention is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing. In this form, a knob 26, is connected to the upper end of a lever 29, of substantially L-shape, that has a slot 31 in the upper part thereof and has a floating mounting on a pin 24, suitably secured in sired to actuate either one of the trays 19 to its open or substantially horizontal position, it is only necessary to press downwardly on one of the knobs 26, moving that knob downwardly and causing a turning movement of the lever 29 on its pin 2st whereby the link 28 is drawn upwardly substantially as indicated in the left hand side of Fig. 3 by the broken and dotted lines. It will be noted that the knobs 26 are in their upper position when the tray is closed and it is desired to carry the toaster, thus insuring that the trays will be maintained in their closed positions while the toaster is being, carried.

As it is desirable to prevent free movement of the knobs 26, relatively to the side frames 15, I provide a helical compression spring 33, located in a suitable chamber 34 on the inner end of each of the knobs 26, the inner end of the spring 33 operatively engaging and pressing against the outer surface of the side frame 15. The spring 33 will prevent too free movement of the knob 26 and of the tray operatively connected thereto, as might be the case if this spring were not used and one of the trays 19 were brought to its closed position very quickly, such action might cause the opposing tray to be thrown outwardly to its open position,

and the provision of a friction device prevents such action.

Various modifications and changes may be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are indicated in the appended claims or are imposed by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a toaster, the combination with a frame, and a tray pivotally mounted thereon, of an actuating lever for said tray, and friction means ope'ratively associated with said lever for retarding the movement thereof.

2. In a toaster, the combination with a frame, a tray pivotally mounted in said frame, a lever pivotally mounted on said frame, a link pivotally connecting said le-' ver and said tray, and a knob on said lever, having a predetermined path of travel, for actuating the same, of a friction device associated with said knob for restraining operative movements thereof.

3. In a toaster, the combination with a frame, and a tray pivotally mounted thereon, of an actuating lever for said tray having a floating pivotal mounting on said frame.

4. In a toaster, the combination with a frame, and a tray pivotally mounted thereon, on a fixed pivot, of an actuating lever operatively connected to said tray and having a floating mounting on said frame, and an actuating knob on said levermovable in a straight line path to operate said actuating said toaster, and effective during said ing lever. carrying operation to maintain said trays 10 5. In a toaster, the combination with a in their closed positions.

frame, a plurality of trays directly pivotally In testimony whereof, I have hereunto mounted in said frame, of means pivotally subscribed my name this 7th day of May,

connected to the respective trays and hav- 1923.

ing a floating pivotal .mounting on said frame for actuating said trays and for carry- ORA A. COLBY. 

